Great Outdoor Blog

You wanted to take a whitewater kayaking course last year — but didn’t. You swore you’d finally spend that week on the AT you’ve been promising yourself since college — but didn’t. You also didn’t train for an ultramarathon, take a weekend canoe camping trip or climb Looking Glass Rock.

2012 — where did you go?

Disappointed with last year’s adventure resume? Don’t let 2013 be a repeat of 2012. Vow to make this your Year of Adventure. And start now by making a plan.

Now, a true year of adventure consists of numerous small adventures and maybe one or two big ones. (It is called a Year of Adventure, after all, not a Long Weekend of Adventure.) Say your goal is that epic backpack trip, a week — at least — on the Appalachian Trail. You just don’t go out and hike 15 miles a day, seven days in a row, with 35 pounds on your back. You lead up to it, with a series of smaller adventures in the form of training hikes.

But all the good places to hike are in the mountains, you grump.

Au contraire, mon adventurer-in-training.

Go to our Hiking Page and you’ll discover five hikes near each of our seven markets. Say you’re in Greensboro and your goal is to get in at least two hikes a month. On our Greensboro Hiking Trips you’ll discover five of our favorite hikes. Only got a couple hours? The Lake Brandt/Palmetto Trail and the Piedmont Environmental Center are good options. If you’ve got time for a day hike check out nearby Hanging Rock State Park or Mayo River State Park or the Birkhead Wilderness of the Uwharrie National Forest.

You start exploring our recommended trails and begin to feel good about your hiking. Time to add camping to the mix. Before committing to a backpack trip you’ll want to field test your equipment, not to mention your camping skills, in a more controlled setting. Check out our Camping page and you’ll find find five places to car camp near where you live.

Next step: a short backpack trip. Come by the shop to explore our map section and scout potential trips, or meander over to books and pick up a copy of “Backpacking North Carolina,” where you’ll find good warm-up trips of two, three and four days. Finally, you’re ready for your epic on the AT. Start planning with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s maps and guidebooks, which cover everything you need to know — from shelter and campsite locations to water sources — to plan and execute a trip capping your 2013 Year of Adventure.

Plotting an epic year is just as easy for other adventures, from flatwater paddling to whitewater, trail running to climbing.

Maybe you’re flummoxed by all the options in the adventure world and aren’t sure where to start? A good source of inspiration is your local Great Outdoor Provision Co. shop. Spend half an hour wandering the aisles and chances are you will find motivation in the most curious of places. Pick up some maps at random; A region you thought you were familiar with may reveal a valley or ridgeline you don’t know at all. Maybe you pick up a copy of the “Shining Rock/Middle Prong Wilderness Map”; you’re as comfortable at Shining Rock as you are in a 0-degree down bag on a January night. But Middle Prong? What’s over there? Or perhaps the quirky “The Linville Gorge Hiker’s Guide,” a grassroots effort with homemade maps, mimeograph (Google it, kids) quality and grainy pictures catches your eye. Start thumbing through and you quickly discover a ton of insidery information about one of the wildest places on the East Coast. Intrigued? You bet.

Motivation can come in unlikely places. A trip to the camping department reveals a titanium spork that suddenly makes you want to spend the evening huddled in the dark and cold over a can of beans. In boats you realize it’s been way too long since you’ve had yours out on a winter paddle, while a trip through outerwear makes you realize it’s rarely too cold in North Carolina to get out and explore. Maybe you discover something entirely new, maybe something you’ve thought about, but never pursued until you pick up a flier for a day-long fly fishing class on a nearby lake. A one day lesson, a handful of day trips to local hotspots and who knows, you could be fly fishing for cutthroat trout in the Rockies come July. Does a river run through you? You won’t know until you put a fly rod in your hand.

We’ve got the resources to help make sure 2013 doesn’t disappoint. Let’s get started on your Year of Adventure!

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curated by Joe Miller

Still planning the meal? Impress everyone with these delicious holiday recipes from Trusty. Everyone in our office can attest to her incredible cooking skills!

Ace’s Oyster Dressing

• 3 cups cornbread
• l loaf French bread, cubed and dried in over, crumble
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• l large onion, chopped
• l lb. English walnuts, chopped
• l lb. fresh chestnuts (if available) water chestnuts may be substituted, chopped
• l lb. mushrooms
• 2 cans cream chicken soup
• 2 pints fresh oysters
• l fresh bunch parsley, chopped
• l Tbsp. sage
• salt and pepper as desired
• red pepper, as desired

Mix all above ingredients. This makes a loose dressing.  Stuff turkey lightly and  squirt some broth in cavity on dressing. Dressing needs to be moist if baking. If not stuffing turkey the dressing may be baked in a well greased 9×13 pan at 425 degrees for about 25 to 35 minutes, do not over bake. This dressing freezes  well.

Ace’s Giblet Gravy

• Wings, neck, giblets (except liver) from turkey
• l onion, quartered
• l clove garlic
• 4 thyme branches
• 8 parsley stems
• salt and pepper
• hot pepper
• 1 and 1/2 quarts homemade chicken or turkey stock, in a pinch canned may be used, plus 2 cups water
• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, 1/3 cup plain flour
• 2 cups milk
• 2 or 3 hard-cooked peeled eggs

Cook above ingredients (except butter, milk, flour and eggs) in a large soup kettle until meat is tender. Drain off stock and reserve. Remove meat from bones, cut in small pieces. Remove gristle from gizzard, then dice gizzard and heart. Melt butter in a large heavy-bottomed sauce pan over medium low heat. Vigorously whisk in flour. (The roux will froth and then thin out again. Cook slowly until slightly browned.  Return turkey broth (2 cups) to sauce pan, stirring constantly.  Add milk and bring to a boil.  If gravy is not thick as desired mix l/3 to l/2 cup flour with some cooled broth and add slowly to sauce pan until desired thickened is obtained. More broth may be used if more gravy is desired, and more flour-mix to thicken it. Add all giblets and heat thoroughly. Hard cooked chopped eggs may be added to the gravy.  Adjust seasoning as desired.

38 years and still warming! This classic jacket by The North Face belongs to our founder, Tom Valone. The stats:

• Retail Price in 1972 = $45
• Weight = 24oz
• 10oz 550 fill goose down
• Zipper replaced by The North Face under warranty in 2004
• washed/dried 12 times

At Great Outdoor Provision Co. we specialize in outerwear that lasts for generations. From the fabric & trim to workmanship & style, our selection of jackets are designed to take decades of rugged wear and often provide years of service beyond the original owner’s use. Through your help, the Great Outdoor Coat Swap has donated nearly 10,000 coats to local missions over the past 7 years. Thank you for continuing this tradition of helping others in need.

Driving to the trailhead I wondered if we’d packed enough cold gear. Snow had been reported at Wilburn Ridge with an overnight low in the 20’s. My buddy and I have a crew of eight high school kids with a collective playlist of nearly 10K songs but did they pack enough insulation?

My concerns are dismissed once we reach Grayson Highlands. Our midnight arrival stirs a Park Ranger who provides an adequate shake-down of the party. She’s impressed to see a group of young people, 4 girls, 4 guys and two dads, out in the woods. She also cautions us to be careful – “Deer season opens tomorrow at sunrise.”

After finding gloves, hats and headlamps we hoist our packs and head north to connect with the Appalachian Spur Trail and over Wilburn Ridge. Our party carries a variety of packs – the majority being Osprey Packs. Two boys lead the way as they’ve hiked this area with their Scout Troop. The girls help with reading the map. Everyone is excited to get on the trail and enjoys the night hike experience. Jokes are passed down the line as we discuss who brought along a blaze orange vest and who brought the antlers.

I kid you not, a rifle shot awakens me just before dawn. Unable to return to sleep I decide to crawl out of a cozy MSR Carbon Reflex 2 and explore the area where we’d chosen to camp. The shelter was occupied when we passed it at 1am so we hiked a bit further before pitching our tents. The babbling of Big Wilson Creek has me digging out the Platypus Gravity Works (video demo here) as I do my best to appear non-deer-like making my way to the creek. Water filters as I fire up the MSR Pocket Rocket and take in the sunrise with a cup of coffee.

The next two days with the crew were great. These young people share a profound connection with this wilderness and each other. Away from our busy city life we can live in the moment – present and connected to the beauty all around. We talk about how the most difficult part of the trip is returning home. They want to do this again – soon – and bring along more friends. We all have a new sense of adventure – maybe it comes from the from the night hike, or stream crossing, or maybe from meeting the hunter who shared his story – but that sense of adventure remains with us long after we return home. Kids these days are eager to get outside and share that adventure with others. They are the next generation of conservationists and it was a privilege to join them on this trip.

Thanks to the folks at Outdoor Sports Marketing and my skillet carrying friend, Blake, who help to make this and many other Scout and Youth adventures possible.

Congratulations to our winners! Trusty’s random generator has selected the following names from those who clicked through the Nov 10th email featuring Trusty’s Holiday Gift Guide. With so many great gifts to choose from we thought the best gift would be a $50 gift card so that winners can select the gift that fits their wish list.

Winners have been contacted via email

Geoffrey Hird
Kary Hill
John Bort
Greg Selzer
Karen Johnson
Lisa Moore
Richard Parker
Angelina Maletto
Chuck Brown
Jenn Feltis

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT FOR SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY®
The 2nd annual Small Business Saturday® is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses on one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year.

On November 26, we ask you to Shop Small at you favorite local stores and help fuel the economy. When we all shop small, it will be huge.

by Amanda, Charlotte staff

The staff from our Charlotte shop, sponsored in part by our friends at Ex Officio, was able to spend a chilly but exciting morning working together at the Team Development Center of the US National Whitewater Center on 30 October. Tucked into the woods above the man-made river, the Team Development Center offers 22 different ground-level Low Elements and a series of High Elements 32 feet above the ground.

Eleven staff members, whose tenures with GOPC range from 12 years to just one day, faced a variety of team and individual challenges. Our day began as the sun came up on a brisk, 30 degree morning, but we are fortunately all familiar with the advantages of good layering. Staying warm was the least of the challenges we faced!

After a short game to get the blood moving, our first challenge was the “Team Triangle,” which involved moving all eleven team members from a platform, around a steel cable strung between trees, and back to the platform, without touching the ground. As a group, we jumped right in, tackling the problem head-on and developing our strategy as we went. We had only one slight mishap (a team member touched the ground) with the consequence that another person was blindfolded for the remainder of the task. The challenge was one we all enjoyed, and were happy to see our well our trust and communication skills helped us succeed.

Next up was another of the center’s Low Elements, the “Nitro Swing.” This challenge involved moving each team member, one at time, on to individual platforms using a rope swing. Complicating matters, we were also challenged to move a cup of water from one side to the other. In this case, our challenge was to work together to enable every one to achieve the same goal. It was quickly apparent that each of us has different needs, and required a slightly different approach to the challenge. We were successful because we were able to acknowledge our own individual strengths and weaknesses, and use them to achieve our group goal. Things were a little dicey as we moved the water from one side to another, but we managed it without spilling a drop.

Feeling pretty confident in ourselves, we moved next to the High Elements. Properly harnessed up, we split into teams of 3 and 4 to move together across steel cables through a variety of obstacles. The high elements challenged us to navigate around and over various obstacles, leap from platform to platform, and do it all balanced on a steel cable 32 feet above the forest floor. We quickly realized that the key to success is our ability to rely on one another for support, both literally and mentally. Even though a few of us took some spills, everyone managed to reach the zip line at the end of the high ropes course and enjoy a quick ride back to the ground.

Angie, who was our facilitator for the day, and her assistant Gill were enthusiastic supporters, and with their encouragement we were all successful. The challenges we faced together at the Team Development Center reinforced for us the importance of communication and team work, and certainly renewed our sense of team spirit.

>> Learn more about the USNCW with this virtual tour

Trip photos on FLICKR

Customers of Great Outdoor Provision Co. can get more than a great deal on outdoor gear this month – they can help provide a coat to a neighbor in need.

During the last week of October the locally owned Great Outdoor Provision Co. reaches out to community missions and delivers coats for the homeless during their 7th Annual Great Outdoor Coat Swap.  Customers who donate a clean used jacket will receive a 20% discount off the regular price of selected outerwear  Last year’s Coat Swap delivered nearly 2500 jackets to the needy. Mountain Hardwear has provided support for this effort.

“I’ve always known our customers are special.” comments Tom Valone, owner.   “Every time we sponsor a charity drive our and customers come through, I’m reminded why I love this business.”

Bruce Storer, director of development for the Raleigh Rescue Mission in downtown Raleigh, remarks on last year’s Coat Swap and says “It’s a significant gift. This is the time of year that we really need coats as well as food and blankets. We’re blessed to have this relationship with Great Outdoor Provision Co.”

If you want to do more—or are looking for volunteer opportunities this season—local shelters and missions always need warm clothes, blankets and food during the winter. Here’s a list of rescue missions in the seven communities we do business in; you can call them or check their Web sites for the best way to help:

• RALEIGH: Raleigh Rescue Mission
• CHAPEL HILL: Orange Congregations in Mission
• CHARLOTTE: Charlotte Rescue Mission
• GREENSBORO: Greensboro Urban Ministry
• WINSTON-SALEM: Samaritan Ministries
• WILMINGTON: Good Shepherd Center
• GREENVILLE: Greenville Community Shelter

The annual Coat Swap program is one of several philanthropic efforts the Great Outdoor Provision Co. and its customers help support. Others includeHabitat for Humanity, local land trusts, Scouting (both boy’s and girl’s organizations), and the N.C Wildlife Federation.

Founded in 1972, the Great Outdoor Provision Co. is a family-owned retailer of clothing and gear for outdoor recreation enthusiasts and has seven stores in North Carolina cities. Learn more at www.greatoutdoorprovision.com

We carry TOMS Shoes because they are a great casual shoe that helps improve the lives of children around the world. With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need.

On September 24 Trusty got together with local artists in the Raleigh area and threw a Style Your Sole party so that our customers could express themselves and help children in need by customizing their own blank, canvas TOMS.

The day features local artists Matt Butler, Nina Wu, Paul Friedrich, Chris Williams, Julie Pitts, AdAm Peele along with local bluegrass music provide by Backcounty Still.

Enjoy the pictures from the day.

UPDATE: We’ve come up with another chance to win a $50 Gift Card.
How to enter: “Tag” Great Outdoor Provision Co. and share this video on your wall post. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVJ4wR2QpFg

Once you tag/share you will be entered into a random drawing for a $50 gift card. Contest will run through til 3pm next Friday, Oct 21st at which time we will select the winner.
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Thanks to great customers like you we’ve been named “Best Outdoor Store” in Raleigh by “The Destination Guide“. The Destination Guide is holding a contest to see which video best represents Raleigh. Please watch this short video to “Vote” for Trusty. Thanks!

MULETrivia: Answer for a chance to WIN a $100 Gift Card
What was the square footage of our 1st shop in 1972? (mentioned in the video)
To enter: Post the answer to our Facebook page. We’ll randomly select a winner Friday, Oct 14, 2011 @ 3pm.